February 27, 2007

I came across a site recently that featured a 'home made' video compiling scenes from one of my favorite movies and music from one of my favorite singers.

Historia De Un Amor is an old Panamanian song that's been recorded by a great many artists, including David Hasselhoff. But no, the version I was speaking of was sung, not by Mr. Baywatch, but by Greek Icon Nana Mouskouri. The scenes taken were from the movie Head On featuring Alex Dimitriades in probably one of his best roles.

There's a whole bunch of reasons why I like that movie, and just as many, probably, why I love Mouskouri. And it was very ironic that I would come across that video today, because today I was dealing with a whole bunch of other things that, well, honestly, finally, for the first time in my life seemed to fall into place.

February 22, 2007

The Vice-President is at it again. While his boss says he welcomes debate on all issues, including those of sending more troops to Iraq, the Vice-President has another take, and that is to paint those who differ in their opinions to his as being not only unpatriotic, but lending aid and comfort to the enemy.

Said the Vice-President "I think if we were to do what Speaker Pelosi and Congressman Murtha are suggesting, all we will do is validate the al-Qaida strategy" and he continued. "The strategy is to break the will of the American people...to persuade us to throw in the towel and come home, and then they win because we quit."

Who the hell is "we"?

For a man who said he had more important things to to than fight in Viet Nam, and got not one, not two, not three, not four, but at least five deferments for that conflict and then to be so bold as to say some Americans don't "have the stomach" for war is unconscionable at best, and lunacy at worst.

Shut up already.

If he is so convinced that anyone who disagrees with him is unpatriotic or giving aid to the enemy, then bring charges against them.

This man has done more disservice to this country than any other Vice-President in recent memory. He can boast all he wants, but he should be ashamed of himself for advocating the sending of more young people to this war when he, himself, chose not to defend it when his turn came up.

I'm tired of hearing him go on and on about things that are rattling about in his head. Like his statement on the British pullout of troops; "I look at it and see it is actually an affirmation that there are parts of Iraq where things are going pretty well."

Uh...is he serious? They're pulling out because things are going so well? Is he serious?

Thank goodness at least Speaker Pelosi had a nice comment about that statement. Said Pelosi "If it's going so well, we'd like to withdraw our troops as well."

February 21, 2007

I marked this post for inclusion into my group of posts on all things life, television and music. But it almost seems like music is the furthest thing away from the subject of this post.

Monday night Craig Ferguson, oops, sorry, TV's Craig Ferguson had a very special monologue. Not filled with ridicule of celebrities in rehab or people making fools of themselves, Ferguson, instead, focused on his own sobriety.

While you might imagine this would be a laugh-less monologue, that wasn't actually the case. What did happen, however, was a very thought filled, even emotional, baring of the soul. It seems that February 18th marked Ferguson's 15th year of sobriety.

He spent the weekend, he said, reflecting on his life and his job. And he said he made a decision to stop attacking those who were obviously in trouble, namely Britney Spears and, of course, the late Anna Nicole.

His monologue was a breath of fresh air and said things that we all probably had thought about. And while never calling Ms. Spears an alcoholic, he did implore people who found themselves at the mercy of self medication, to talk to someone, anyone. And a good place to start is the phone book, in the "A" section, he said, there's a great group whose number can be found in the "A" section.

When Anna Nicole died it sent a shock wave. And I won't make apologies for saying that. The truth is, we love to laugh, and when someone falls, if they get up and seem relatively okay, then we tend to laugh at them.

Anna Nicole had her own show, and she was so ditzy that we loved to laugh at her, make fun of her and figured, to a point, she was in on the joke. Obviously we now know she wasn't.

The Osbourn's was a fun show to watch. We laughed at Ozzy and his near unintelligible dialogue and his shuffling around. Later we found out his medication was mostly to blame, and suddenly, it wasn't nearly as funny.

And now Britney. She was so trashy and so rich, that she was fare game. Sure, maybe she had one drink too many, but I don't think any of us, until recently that is, thought she was on a self destructive path. Or maybe we did.

I didn't see Craig Ferguson's monologue tonight. It was have been interesting to watch, and I'll try to catch him tonight. And while I can't say this happened because of his heart rending monologue, it was reported today that Britney Spears has checked into a rehab facility.

For the sake of her children, her family and fans, but most especially for herself, I hope she succeeds and is a better person for it.

Hey, look at Whitney and what a turnaround she made. Let's hope Britney is around to see her children grow up. And hopefully she'll will grow a bit too.

February 17, 2007

So word today is that Britney has shaved her head. I actually think she looks nice. I mean, she's very beautiful, but with the dyed black hair, the hoochie momma outfits and her panty-less photos, she has, most recently, just been a terrible caricature of what she could be.

I'm not saying that the shaved head isn't another potential media disaster, but it really does seem almost liberating to see a bald Britney Spears. She has a beautiful face, and for the first time in months you can see that.

My fear, of course, is that Britney may be heading down the Anna Nicole road. I hope not. I hope shaving her head is way to say goodbye to the bad publicity, the bad friends, and the bad habits. I hope so anyway.

February 15, 2007

I used to love flying. It was such a treat. I think I mentioned in a post way back that when I was younger even turbulance was a joy. It wasn't until later that I realized what turbulance really was and now it freaks me out.

I've been lucky enough to travel around the world, and these days I still enjoy vacationing, but I'm not so keen on getting to my destination. I long for a Star Trek transporter type system where I can pack my bags get on a cool space age platform and say "energize" and wait for my molecules to be broken down, sent to my destination and reassembled. That's how much I don't like the actual "travel" part of traveling these days.

In fact, for some time I've had a little pack of travel meds with me. And those meds often include something to make the flight a little more bearable.

Of course, now with all the restriction on what you can and can't bring onto carry on, I've left some of those meds in my check in baggage. But not anymore.

With the recent snow storm yesterday on the East Coast, it was reported that Jet Blue airlines actually had passengers sitting on some of their planes for up to 11 hours waiting to take off, and in at least once instance a plane had landed but passengers weren't allowed to disembark until 9 hours have touching ground.

Okay, all I can think of is I would have freaked. I'm not necessarily claustrophobic, but c'mon, 9 to 11 hours in a plane that isn't going anywhere? Apparently after a time the onboard snacks weren't enough to calm passengers and reports mention that toilets on those planes became rank and it got so warm that at least one plane at to open the cabin door every 20 minutes just to cool off the passengers and allow fresh air into the cabin.

Granted some of this is probably beyond the control of the airline. The freak weather wasn't expected, and some plowing equipment actual froze to the ground, and some planes that were at their gates couldn't budge because there really was no where to go.

But part of the problem arose, apparently, when the airline initially decided to leave passengers on the runway in hopes the weather would clear, while allowing other to land ultimately causing the back up.

Anyway, from now on, my travel meds are coming with me on carry on again, and if I have to spend 11 hours on a plane waiting to take off or disembark, then I'll do it much more relaxed with a little bit of drool on my chin.

February 13, 2007

I haven't written about Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip for a while. For good reason too. I haven't been watching the show. I mean, I've caught an episode here and there, but it is no longer one of the shows that I make a point to watch. And even when I do tune in, I find myself, more often than not, tuning out, in my head anyway.

For whatever reason, well actually, there was a reason and that reason was nothing else was on television that I wanted to see. So watched Studio 60 last night I did. And I'm happy for it.

I've written before, and I stand by the statement, that this show has some of the most creative people in television in its employ. Seriously! Both in front of the camera and behind it.

And last night's episode; Friday Night Slaughter is a prime example of the genius behind the camera. Written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Tommy Schlamme, this episode, more than any I have seen since the series began, proves that Sorkin and Schlamme have an understanding of each other that transcends words.

Written in classic Sorkin style, that is to say quick dialogue, intercutting scenes, and surprise revelations all wrapped in an engaging and cohesive story is directed expertly by Schlamme who intercuts flashbacks and current time with seamless expertise, and dialogue and intimacy so deftly that we forget it's a television show we're watching, and not someone's actual lives.

The problem I have had with this show is that it follows the lives and loves of people I not only don't know, but don't care much about. The exciting world of live television is the backdrop, but for too much of the show that was just the backdrop.

I know it might be comparing apples and oranges to discuss The West Wing (another Sorkin and Schlamme collaboration) with Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, but a comparison is inevitable. What made The West Wing so enthralling was the ease to which we fell in love with the characters. Not because we were told intimate details about their past, but because we watched them act and interact in the most complex and heated of situations.

We fell in love with the characters in the fictional White House because we they were so knowledgeable, so smart as you imagine they would have to be to survive in that environment. But they were also human, and made mistakes. And it was this way that we got to know them and appreciate each for who they were.

Studio 60 started in reverse for me. We got right into the lives and loves of the characters without knowing who they were or really caring. And the excitement of the live sketch comedy show was just used as filler. But last night was different.

Intercutting a storyline of a failed romance, with the first time the two meet, and the anxiety intertwined with trying to be successful on television gave us what we had been missing for so long. And that is to see how these characters act and react. We had the chance, finally, to see them at their beginning. We had the opportunity to see how it is they became who they are now. It wasn't just exposition, it was storytelling, and it was told very well.

If future episodes are just half as good as Friday Night Slaughter, then I'll be happy to tune in on a regular basis. Again, I can't imagine two more talented people than Aaron Sorkin and Tommy Schlamme, and when teamed with a cast that is just as gifted, this show should always be as good as it was last night.

Here's hoping they've found their groove. I know I'll tune in next Monday, to see if they have.

February 12, 2007

Many moons ago the United States mint had a brilliant idea, or so they thought. They would re-mint dollar coins. The genius, of course, was that coins lasted several times longer than paper dollar bills. It's staggering how little time paper money actually lasts in general circulation.

Once the idea was approved, an image had to be chosen and suffragette Susan B. Anthony was chosen.

The problem with those coins, of course, was their size and color which had both the feeling and general look of a quarter. While the circumference of the coin was round, the relief has a geometric design that I, even to this day, couldn't help but think would have helped the coin survived had the actual coin been minted in the unique shape. But I don't work for the mint, so enough about that.

Needless to say the Anthony Dollars weren't very popular as people kept giving away dollars in change thinking they were quarters.

Then, in 2000, a new idea was hatched to encourage people to use hard dollars. That was the Sacagawea dollar. Gold in color, the coin had the basic shape and weight as the Anthony Dollar, but of course the gold tint allowed for easy identification. In theory anyway.

For whatever reason, the Sacagawea dollar was just a little more popular than the Anthony, which isn't to say it was very popular at all.

Well, here it is, 2007, and the US Mint has announced it will start releasing (Thursday) a new hard dollar, in addition to the Sacagawea Dollar. This new dollar will be printed with four different images on it's face each year commemorating US Presidents. The idea stemmed form the popular Quarter designs that have been issued over the past few years in order of each State's entry into the Union.

The hope is, of course, that the hard dollar will catch on, but no one truly thinks it will. Cited as being too heavy and cumbersome, people have clung to the paper money as easy and convenient.

It should be noted that nearly every other major country uses, almost exclusively, hard denominations of lower currency for the specific reason of it costing less to produce in the long run.

One interesting note about this new coin is the apparent absence of two quotes which appear on all US currency. "In God We Trust" and "E Pluribus Unum" will appear, along with the issue date and mint mark, on the coins edge instead of on its face.

February 08, 2007

I have to say, at the outset, that I wasn't really a big Anna Nicole Smith fan. I'm not sure if I get the whole celebrity for celebrity sake. Though, in her case, she parlayed a spread in Playboy into a career of celebrity.

The news that she had passed away came via a phone call that was completely unexpected. As if a head of state or a major star had passed, I was informed that Anna Nicole was dead. And I have to say I was a little shocked.

Not because she was a towering figure of celebrity, but because her life seemed to have taken such dramatic turns, most especially of late. I thought maybe, just maybe, she would settle down a bit and raise her newborn daughter in an environment that was a little less filled with flashing bulbs now that she was left with only one child, after the unexpected death of her 20 year old son just a few months ago.

The shock I guess I'm experiencing is the disbelief that someone who is only 39 years old, and who only recently lost a son, can just die. Granted I don't know the information surrounding her death. But I can't help but feel a little sad, for all involved, that her tragic life has now ended at such a young age.

It was announced yesterday that she was a defendant in a class action suit brought against Trim-Spa for whom she was a spokesperson, and while she had won a legal victory from the Supreme Court last year, the contested will of her late husband seemed to be headed back to court again, and the paternity of her newborn daughter was in doubt as two men have claimed to be the father.

So it goes without saying that her life might have been less than idyllic. And while I don't want to speculate on what happened, or how it happened, maybe now, she's at rest, away from all of the flashbulbs, the tabloids, and the craziness that was her short life.

February 07, 2007

With Donald Rumsfeld out as Secretary of Defense, a surprising number of people have come forward to challenge his way of doing things.

Besides those generals who have come forward to say that more troops might have made a difference in the initial conflict and subsequent security of Iraq comes this word from the current SecDef, Robert Gates, that the military itself, needs to be larger.

Viet Nam forever changed the way wars were planned by those who served in that conflict. A prime example is Collin Powell's (at the time the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) strategy of the big footprint that he insisted upon during the first Gulf War. His reasoning was that, unlike Viet Nam, a large contingent of military personnel were needed to both shock and awe the enemy and secure the battlefield once the war was over, instead of a trickle of troops over a longer period of time.

Of course what was heralded as the Mother of All Battles by Saddam Husein was far less than that and that conflict seemed to be over almost as soon as it began.

This might have given Donald Rumsfeld the idea that the big footprint plan was now obsolete. That a highly trained, highly equipped fighting force could accomplish, with less boots on the ground, what it was the larger group accomplished just a few years before. And the thought that we would be met as liberators and therefor given the keys to any city further solidified that premise.

Of course we know now that that was an ill thought of plan. Granted the cold war is over, but war, in general, apparently is not. Robert Gates said today, in stark contrast to the strategy of Rumsfeld, that he believed both the Army and Marine Corps needed to be larger if we were to deal with several different conflicts should they arise.

If that weren't enough of an about face on military policy, Gates also seemed to rebuke what California Congressman Duncan Hunter said today in regard to the pending non binding congressional resolution opposing the surge, which was in part, "I do not think you can send a message that is going to raise the morale of the troops while at the same time sending a message that we don't support the mission."

Gates comment to that was " As long as this Congress continues to do what it has done, which is to provide the resources for the mission, the dialog, and the troops will be supported." He continued later with " I think [the troops are] sophisticated enough to understand that that's what the debate's really about."

So I guess I'm left with the thought that finally, it seems someone is in position who is looking for an honest solution to what has become a tragic scenario. And a solution that can potentially come from any direction. Unlike Gates' predecessor who seemed to be more concerned about insubordination or underlings not towing the line, Gates seems to be most concerned with winning the battle, regardless of who brings forth the best idea.